WHO IS RON?
by DSegno92
Summary: Who is Ron? Who better than her could answer to this question? Yet, never in her life Kim would have thought to have to give such an answer. Because she definitely would not like the implications…
1. Waking up from a dream

Hard times for Team Possible, the college ones: hard studies, difficult schedules, and looked like all villains had decided to rise the aim all together, twith always more complex plans and new aspiring Earth conquerors popping up like mushrooms. Luckily, the plans were so complicated and the self-styled future dominators so inexperienced that a run to the red button was enough to put them out of the fight for a good month. The only plans with a hope to work were recycled ideas that by now were capable of stopping with closed eyes. Drakken and Shego, after the Lowardian experience, reired, or better: Global Justice offered them pardon at condition that they joined their ranks. Kim had to admit that it was a good idea: Drakken, in his megalomania, was still a good inventor...after her father, of course, and the Tweebs...and Mrs. Renton...and Vivian Porter...well, he was still good, and who knows that his invention could be used for something useful. Shego, not even discussing it, was an excellent combat trainer, and even Kim learnt something new in her lessons. With the doctor's retire, the new apex position in the criminal's ladder was filled by Professor Dementor, who seemed all willing to not give up the throne.

But even Kim and Ron did not stay turning their thumbs: she kept training and keeping in shape, and even started learning about firearms. Her father had been very contrary to the idea, but the cheerleader knew that sooner or later child protection would have ceased even for her, and did not want to be found unprepared. For honor of the truth, not even her was so relaxed thinking about implications, so the only pistol she used was a tranq darts one, and only at the shooting range. Ron from his side attended regular courses at Yamanouchi of ninjitsu, kenjutsu, martial arts (and in this she was grateful she too could help him) and Sensei was teaching him hot to use his mystical powers. There, this was a part that Kim really didn't manage to understand, they talked about "energies of the creation", "chakra" and other stuff like this...stuff that made her feel out of her element, but she was proud of her boyfriend because this was one of the rare times in which it was him the expert, and was doing really good! For what looked like at her, at least, then it was hard even for Ron, but he was grasping the basics. Mysticism aside, in the other sectors he had great results, looked like stopping an alien invasion was a tonic for his maturity: nowadays there were not rare the occasions in which she was the distraction, faced the enemies' hordes and meanwhile he sneaked undisturbed, retrieved the stolen items, sabotaged the machineries and then he came to give her a hand: he fought so fast, clean and invisible that half of the henchmen were on the ground without even realizing that Kim hasn't even brushed them. My dear shadow warrior! But Ron still preferred to take care of the diversion factor, to not make her risk too much, he said. What an uncurable romantic, always so considerate! So from time to time they switched roles, sometimes she distracted, sometimes he did...but Kim preferred when they worked together, side by side. In those moments, she would have not call an exageration to say that she felt invincible. Sadly this new modus operandi had become a routine, since Rufus left them because of old age. Poor thing, for everyone it has been like losing a friend, but for Ron he was family.

But as of now it has happened a year before: everything was going well for Kim, she and her boyfriend were on the same college, they have not problems for the exams (well, no more than any other student), they loved each other, they confided, they supported and tolerated, sometimes they argued but it was immediately peace. And Dr. Director had even expressed the intention to make her join G.J. once finished university, but she already worked with them more often and with always more important tasks. Ron still has not received the invitation, but she was sure that it was because Betty wanted to leave him training as Mystical Monkey Master, so he could be even more useful. A dream life.

Now, Kim's only problem was called DNAmy, and consisted in an army of boardrills (boar mandrills) with which she aimed to avenge her "precious" terorizing London's zoo. Seriously, it was the third time in a few months, the only change was the species she used. And Kim had to do it by herself, because Ron was at home with a broken leg: courtesy of the nth newbie, a guy who liked to exaggerate with firecrackers, she nearly went under a wall chunk, if her Ronnie didn't pushe her away; and he himself nearly was the omelette, if he wasn't so fast. When then the noob had the nerve, while he was taken away by the police, to threat to escape and "finish the job", she broke his jaw with a fist and promised more and worse else if he tried to exit before time. From his face, she was sure she'd never see him anymore. Coming back to the boardrills, they were tough, she had to admit it, and those fangs promised pain, so she couldn't face them head first. Wade said that if she managed to steal to Amy her hybridizing rifle she could bring back the monkeys to normality, but it was hard, expecially stuck on a tree like she was now. "You won't stop my lovely creatures this time, Possible!" Lovely, creatures...yeah, sure! But Amy made a mistake, and Kim had a fistful of seconds to take advantage of it, before the monkeys climbed to her. Really, why had she the impression that it was a good idea? Those were the moments that she believed Ron's fears regarding primates had a reason. But it wasn't time for that, so she took the grapple, aimed at the thing in the hands of the mad scientist and...score! A simple rewind of the cable and she was ready to bring back zoo's guests to their original form. A few minutes, and the situation was normal again. Only shade, Amy managed to escape. No big, she would catch her next time, with the full squad. Journalists came immediately in group to interview her, even people from abroad states, aside obviously from the omnipresent reporter of TriCityTV, which managed to always broadcast a live to home of her adventures. It was an abnormal way to be close to her parents, but she liked to think about it like that. After many years, interviews were routine, two reassurring words to the viewers and then away at home to cuddle the invalid...always in case he took advantage of the vacation from the missions to study, obvious; even if she was sure he would prefer to come back fighting Monkey Fist if it meant to escape the text books. "So Kim, what can you tell us about this mission?" "Have you been hurt?" "Did something go out of your expectations?" "Gentlemen, please, one at time," the redhead answered, "I'm fine and the animals and zoo visitors too, and this is what matters. Everything is back to normal, tomorrow this story will be only a bad memory and already the day after tomorrow we will be able to laugh upon it. It's true, it's been hard, without Ron helping me, but risks like that must be taken: I admit too that I'm a bit altered that DNAmy escaped, but the moment Ron will be back, Team Possible will be again at 100% and you'll see that the bad guys will be back behind the bars where they belong." she answered with the smile on her lips, to show confidence and reassure. By now she was a trend personality, she had to cure her image...but why do the reporters lok at her like that? Had she said something wrong? Was there something behind her? She wasn't accidentally hit by the ray, right?

"Ehm, sorry Kim...who is Ron?"


	2. Rage

I...I have not understood well…

"Ehm, sorry, could you repeat the question?" "Yes, sure...who is this Ron you just nominated?" But what are they saying? Ok, let's smile and nod, probably he's just a new guy. "Come on, Ron! Tall, blonde, big chocolate eyes, ears so cute you want to use them as a handle bar..." But why are they looking at me like I just grew another three eyes? "He's my partner, the other half of the squad!" "Wait, are you talking about your sidekick?" "The one who always loses his pants?" Still with this story? He doesn't lose them anymore since two years, and he's not my sidekick, but have they heard me when I said partner? Deep breath… "Yes, him, but look that..." "I didn't think he was a regular member." It's a joke, right? "Sure he is!" "Since when?" No, it's not a joke, it's not funny at all… "Since when I started! He's always been by my side, I wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for him...sorry, but when I say 'Team' Possible, with whom do you believe I team up?" "Rufus!" ...I don't know what irritates me, if the answer or the fact that it's been given in chorus. I knew that naked mole rat was famous, but from that to this… "Or that informatic fellow of yours..." "Or that other agent...Will Du?" "It happened only once!" Ok, it's just a bad dream, now I wake up… "Very well, listen: first, Ron is my partner from a lifetime, and I never had others; second, he comes around with me since years, but who did you believe he was?" "...a fan?" "A mythomaniac?" "An aspiring hero your were training?" "I thought he was just the guy who brings Rufus in and nothing else!" This is not a dream, it's a nightmare! "But what are you talking about?" "Well, you have to admit that mole rat was really charismatic, he could easily be the master." What happened, has the world suddenly got mad? "He's my fiancee, for heaven's sake!" "WHAT?!" I swear if they do the choruses again someone swallows the mic...wait, they didn't know? Oooh, that's enough! Calm Kim, calm...breath…"Listen to me well: Ron Stoppable and I are friends since pre-k, we always stayed together since then, in school and in life, we started dating before high school's last year, he's the one who convinced me to start helping people, I lost count of how many times he saved my life, I couldn't do a tenth of what I do without him...how the hell can you not know him?!" Ok, I lost it, but I have all the rights to do it, after… "Well...you never told us!"

…

… …

… … …

… … … … what?

All Kim's rage evaporated in an instant, and was slowly being replaced by something else, like a bad feeling, but she wasn't sure of what it was…

What, how have I never told them? Ok, I don't like to wave my private life at the four winds, but it definitely wasn't a secret that I was dating him! Like, they interview dogs and porks to have all details on me and they leave out the most important person of all? "But...but...it must be six years we save the world together! In all this time, have you never interviewed him like you do with me? Have you never asked me how he was, how it went, if it had been hard?" Reporters answered shaking the head in a silent nod of denial. It's not possible… "Butbutbutbutbut...he too risks his life!" "But if you always say that it's always been 'no big'..." "Only thanks to his help!" "He seemed to cause more mess than anything..." "Yeah, well, if this was a cartoon he would have just the role of comic sidekick..." "He's...not...a sidekick..." replied Kim with clenching teeth, but they did not seem to have heard her "...or the buffoon..." "RON IS NOT A BUFFOON!" Kim could not avoid to notice that her voice, more than angered or intimidating, sounded choked, desperate...the sensation was crawling up, becoming an awareness that she did not want, must not, could not accept...A young glass-wearing photographer with an accent of New York Queens, after a minute of silence, tried to ask her: "Sorry, miss Possible...could you please repeat me the name?" Kim answered with that small voice she had: "Ron...Ron Stoppable! He too from Middleton. Ron stands for Ronald." "...ah. Thanks. Now I understand..." Oh, no, don't tell me that… "It's that, you see miss, the names that came to us were..." The photographer pulled out a small note. "Jon Storkable, Lon Tunapool, Don Trumpadoll...once even Von Popsicle..." Her eyes started becoming wet: it was too much. She had to go. With the last remaining breath, she whispered "...excuse me..." and ran away.

Away, as fast as she could, and it was a lot, but did not look enough to her.

In the park she found her car, she jumped in and pulled out the keys. Her hands were shaking so much that she took a good ten seconds to find the right key, and after a few tries to put it in, it broke inside without even start it up. Frustration finally took possession of her. "rrrrrRRRAAAAAARRRRGGGHHHH!" She started hitting the wheel, the panel, the platform, and in these conditions Wade, whose face popped up in the little screen in the middle, found her. "Kim, what's going on?" "Wade, start up this car, I know you can, MAKE THIS CAR START BEFORE I BREAK IT IN PIECES WITH MY HANDS!" By now the heroine was pulling her hair off. Wade wisely did not discuss, did as she said and made the car fly up. "Where do you want me to go?" Fury, betrayal, desperation, Kim Possible was now a vortex of emotions that ate her with violence. The young hacker waited, or better hoped that his words took effect: it needed a couple minutes, but finally Kim calmed down; anger had completely emptied her of all energies. Her voice sounded like one of whom just ran a non-stop marathon along the whole Equator. "Home, Wade...bring me home. I have to see my parents. There is...there is something I need to know."


	3. Denial

For the whole journey, Kim rethought with tears in her eyes about that interview. At what meant. What implied. She knew that for the media Ron was not a great star, due to his humble and playful, often goofy appearance...but it was for that that she liked him...and she was conscious that it was her the one who attracted more the attention. She also knew that there were those who did not remember his name, Drakken was the first of the list, and sometimes his name was mispelled, which annoyed him, but he never did more than complaining, and she closed the matter with a few words, sure that the world would not fall for that...what a stupid, what a stupid, what a stupid...but never, ever, she would have thought that the issue was so heavy to him being forgotten. Ok, he lost pants quite a lot, he seldom had exaggerated reactions, sometimes his ideas were weird and dictated more from fantasy than other, but she hoped that everything passed in second place in front of the evidence of his good job. Yeah, ok, he got kidnapped and she had to rescue him, but it wasn't that the opposite never occurred. Her cousin Joss had been clear, courage wasn't not having fear, but having it and still going on, and between the two of them it was without doubt Ron the one with more fears and so the bravest one. Yet she...if she was in more lucid conditions, probably she would have believed her thoughts to be tainted by the situation, but as of now she could not help but believe herself a despicable and irresponsible person: all those adventures, that running between death traps, bring perfect strangers out of the most varied situations with methods worthy of McGyver, declaring to be a simple girl with just a lot of will to be helpful, keeping repeat "no big, anyone could" when NO! Not anybody could, very few could! Global Justice does not take the first pompom girls with some more self defence knowledge! But her parents taught her the values not only of hard work and determination, but also of humility. For this she tried not to live a starlette life, under the spotlight: she wanted to send the message "I can, so you too", not "I can, you can't". Now, instead, that dark sensation that was taking her had finally taken shape, that awareness so tenaciously refused could not be denied anymore: the reason why Ron was not remembered...the reason why he saw denied all his successes, that were not few...was her!

Looking at everything with critical eye, the situation was painfully clear: Kimberly Anne Possible, daughter of an important space scientist and an accomplished neurosurgeon, she has been head cheerleader for all the duration of high school, member of a lot of school clubs, president too of quite some of them, beautiful, athletic, great grades, on top of the "food chain" of Middleton high school, role model student and person, popular, brave, full of talents, has been also a fashion icon, fighting crimes she became even the idol of emancipated girls, everyone wanted to be her, she came out without a scratch from fights with the worst criminals of the globe, henchmen feared her, the strongest respected her...ok, most of all Shego respected her, but she was the most dangerous, so she counted...on the other side: Ronald Stoppable, eternal child, imaginative, joking, gluttonous, lacking almost every common inhibitor brake, full of fears, surely not attractive according to the common canons, clumsy, not athletic, lazy, preferred to stay far from any kind of duty and responsibility in order to spend time to play, was insecure and without self-esteem, grew every worry until it became a tragedy, uncapable of keeping his mouth shut and definitely did not understand girls...even his parents told him things that would change his life only after doing them because "that was their way to tell him"...Kim was forced from the evidence to confess to herself that a person like this could not shine unless it was of reflected light, standing near someone like...like her! But she was sure that it was not for this that he stayed near her, his loyalty was too deep. ...That's true, Ron was not completely deprived of good points, he was loyal to the marrow, selfless, thought about the others before himself, did not care about opinions of society preferring to be who he wanted to be without worrying how he appeared but only to not lose his 'essential Ronness'...that way of him to be so unique and unimitable that after so much time convinced her to make him the man of his life...he also knew hot to cook godly, while she could not even cook a damn fried egg...but why people admired so much a warrior woman, but appointed as a weirdo a cooking boy? Unless it was a starred chef, and the only restaurant he had was the one that time at school...or the Naco! He invented Bueno Nacho's top product! But nooo, beans, sauce, tortillas and so on were not considered "in", it would have been a bad example to show to the teenagers...but, but, he has also been runningback of the football squad! Winner of too many games to be ignored, and just this should retroactively undo those mentions of clumsiness from before, creator of a successful mascotte (that she and her embarass did not nearly saw out, how she has been so imbecile…), so why was Ron such on the damn bottom of the social ladder? Once again, Kim found to blame herself: for her, Ron has been so influenced from her "no big" to diminish himself all for not appearing too superb, and sadly there were previous instances: the Seniors, the 99 millions...what if...what if he decided to deny his own successes to avoid other similar situations? But no, now she was exaggerating...and yet…

"Kim, we're almost arrived." Wade warned her softly. The monitor has been stayed shut until then. How much time has she spent pondering? Not even she knew. But there was still a hope, something that could give her confirmation that this was all just a huge misunderstanding, a bad dream from which she would wake up and come back to her happy troubleless life. All she needed was something that she knew to be at her parents' house. "Thanks Wade, you rock." "Kim..." Wade did not have the courage to confess to the friend that TriCityTV had as usual started the live stream, so he knew all that happened in London; instead he simply said "...thanks." and closed the communication, also because he too was unsure what to say to her and worried he could make the matter worse.

Once landed on the home alleyway, Kim shot out of the car and into the living room. No tweebs. She did not asked where they were, she did not even say hello, she had other priorities. "Dad, the cut-out chest, where is it?" "Uuh...in the basement, dear." And there Kimberly ran like an arrow. Her mother tried to call her back: "Kim, wait..." But was all useless. Kim took out the chest and before opening it stayed a moment to a dmire it hopeful. She took a deep breath.

If there was a possibility to slap in the face of any deprecative scoundrel the answer to the repulsive question about who was Ron, it was in that chest.


	4. Despair

Kim opened the cut-out chest. They were newspaper cut-outs, articles about her adventures that daddy collected in a movement of pride. "I have the Golden Rocket, Anne many Platinum Bistouries...until they'll invent a prize for who saves the world, these will be the proofs!" So he said. And not only of adventures, even chronicles, fashion, gossip, and vhs on her tv appearances, it couldn't definitely be said that he wasn't a present father. Ron has always been with her, so somewhere in there was the proof that he too was a hero and deserved respect as her equal. So she started browsing all of them, one by one, to not risk to miss what she was searching for.

So...inhale...nnnnhhhhhh...exhale...fffffuuuuuuuhhhhhhh...let's start!

Well then...Kim Possible stops Motor Ed and his...no, this is not good. Kim Possible stops Duff Killigan from...no, not even this is good. Team Possible's naked mole rat heroically manages to...nothing even here. The Worldsaving Cheerleader strikes again...I never noticed how much fantasy such titles have. Ah, here's a picture of Ron...oh, no, here a laser had cut his belt and and he found himself in bermuda. Wait, he nearly was cut in half by a ray and they write "trips on his clothes"? Away even this! And this, even this, this one too...she arrived at nearly thirty adventures and all talked about either only her, or generically Team Possible, without mentioning the boy's name...but how is it possible! Even the eterocephalus glaber had a couple honorable mentions of his feats! No, no, no...this way is not working, there was need of something that screamed at the forur winds that Ron Stoppable can succeed where others fail, something like...like...Lake Wannaweep! That nasty swamp where even she found herself vulnerable twice! Where are the articles, she was sure to have seen them...and there they were...yeah, sure, the first one talked only about her, but I only said we were fine, not that it was me! And then, why is it so short...ah, right, we had to run at the cheerleader competition…the second article, instead...no, eh? "Kim Possible is helped by the supernatural: in her last exploit the famous superheroine has been supported..." as if I contributed so much… "from a..." ...a werecoypu?! Vanished immediately after? The local redskins were interrogated about this protector of the nature...but who authorizes prints like this! Ok, let's think, what else is there...why yes, there was the Fearless Ferrett! There's the pagunknowncosplayersavesthelifeofTimNorthanddisappearsinthemisterylikearealferrettIcantbelieveIspentallthistimedefendingpeoplelikeTHESE! By now Kim was going mad: but why have they never talked about Ron? ...But why I never talked about? What would have cost, taking him with me, putting him by my side during the interviews, giving him the deserved credit? Two words, two seconds each time, nobody would have died! What, was I ashamed? Ok, he was embarassing sometimes, butwhatamIsayin! I shouldn't be embarassed by my friend...but there was a shadow in her mind that forced her to be honest at least with herself: Kim, can you really say you never, ever felt ashamed of being Ron's friend? No matter the setting? … … ...no. No, I can't, but in the end everything always went for the better between us two, I just hope even this time…

Sniff...ok, let's wipe away the tears, and think: when else Ron's presence has been fundamental? Talent show? No, that mattered only for the school. When she finished under mental control? No, that one had the unluck to pass under the news radar. Same for the blushing that made her disappear...Yamanouchi? No, that was very secret, even more than G.J., it was a miracle if they decided to reveal her the position, and she couldn't even enter without a school member to follow her...the Diablo incident? No...that story involved secret projects, any important detail has been classified Top Secret by almost the whole world. And Lowardia's invasion was even worse...his greatest victory, and they buried it so deeply that they could even put it in the middle of the desert. Could go worse than that?

BIP-BIP-BI-BIP

Typical.

The wrist kimmunicator: who called? She pushed the answer button, hoping it was something important, because she was definitely not in the mood! "Kimberly?" Dr. Dicector: ok, this counts as very important! "Yes, director?" Kim tried to regive herself a dignified look. "I wanted to congratulate with you for the London operation, good job. You handled the situation in record time." "Thanks, but DNAmy managed to escape..." "Don't worry, we're keeping an eye on her, she won't hide for long. A promising career in our organization when you'll finish the studies." "Your trust is an honor. Ah, listen..." Maybe she was exaggerating, but thought the question was only legitimate, since she too was involved: "Ron said to not have still received your invitation...but we will team up together in Global Justice, right?" Betty's face darkened. But why? Which problems were there? "Kimberly...Ronald already asked me the same thing..." "...and?" "...and, I'm sorry to tell you, but Ron won't join Global Justice." For Kim it was like being hit by a cannonball in the stomach. Rage returned mounting, together with the sense of betrayal. "How, he won't join G.J.? It's absurd! You more than anyone should know how well we work together! Don't you remember, the Ron Factor? No one else is more qualified to escort me in missions! Why do you want to separate us?" "Kim, listen, Ron...is associated to Yamanouchi, and Yamanouchi has some secrets that doesn't want and can't reveal..." "And so? Haven't you said that between you and that school there is an alliance? And then, you too have secrets, I don't seem to ever complain about that!" "Yes, but it's also true that those secrets make so that our objectives don't always coincide. Sometimes they're even opposites. It's already happened with these ninjas, like with other organizations, and again these secrets prevent us to reveal the purposes behind our actions. When I assign a mission to an agent, I have to be 120% sure their faith towards us won't break: even if this works for you, I can't say the same for your boyfriend because he has friendships in that place and already goes in missions for them. He told you about it, right?" Kim nodded. "Yes, he did not tell me the details, he said he had to..." the evidence of the next words made her take a sigh of resignment "...swear to keep the secret, but at least he warned me that it would happen!" "That, exactly. And you have to consider that even this warning is a luxury that you won't always have. And it works for both of you." "But if things are like this, we'd risk to find ourselves on opposite sides of the barricade! I could find myself to have to choose between Ron and you, and same for him, isn't it what you're trying to avoid?" This time it was Betty to sigh, in front of the flawless logic of the girl. "You're right...then maybe you should think again about your entering in our ranks. But know that you have all my esteem and respect, your victories can't be ignored." Yeah...mine can't...Kim could not stop herself anymore from sobbing. "It's not fair..." "It's the adult world, Kimberly. I too would like to smack Jack Hench and his pretty face from here to the most deserted prison cell on the planet, but believe me I have my hands tied, or it would have happened years ago, to him and Big Daddy Brotherson. But life is also this: compromises you don't want to accept, but you have for the common good." Is it really this what I want? "Well...I suppose it's for this that Ron hasn't told you about our rejection on his behalf." "What...what do you mean?" " In order to not bring you away from the chance to do it." ...you really can't help but sacrifice everything for me, right Ronnie? "...take care of yourself, Kim. And think well about your future." *bip*

Kim gave up to a rare feeling for her: failure. She failed, even betrayed, the most important person in her life. Her mother entered silently in the basement: she too has seen the tv, she heard everything that happened in the basement and had waited; she came closer to the daughter, who looked like a crying statue from some sad fable from other times, and huigged her trying to comfort her. Vain hope, but she had to try. On contact, Kim took a while to understand what was going on, but then she turned around and pulled towards the parent. "What have I done, mom?" "Nothing, Kim: you have done nothing." "That's the point: I have done nothing! Ron, he...he has always been here for me, he gave me his support, his friendship, his heart! No matter how, where, when or why, if I needed help he was there. I should have been there for him the same way, and yet...and yet...and yet I knew he was often insecure, that he felt not to be good enough, and I never helped him enough...I laughed at his scenes, and when I knew he was getting big-headed, that he would have lost the popularity that he so searched for and that I so took for granted because for me was daily life, I let him go down from the hill and came back to be the...the..." she was so gnawed to have to say that word, but there were no better ones "...school buffoon! What kind of selfish have I been, why I denied what he deserved with his strengths, like I deserved my trophies?" "Being popular is not everything in life..." "But it wasn't about being popular, it was about being accepted! Ron has always been...one of a kind, few wanted to be his friends." "Few, but good." "But all the rest remained: Bonnie, the jocks, the rest of the 'cream'...in the end, our judgement was not the only one that he cared of, it was all the hope he was left with! I don't dare to imagine how he could endure all of this, how he managed to hide everything behind that careless smile, how could I not see he was only pretending to not be hurt by that attitude? What kind of friend, of girlfriend am I?" By now Kim was going back and forth from sobs to screams of anger and pain, towards herself, the world, even Ron, to have kept her ignoring everything… "I...I don't deserve him!" "Kim, let him judge if you deserve him or not."

Oh no...oh, no...oooh, no, no, no, no no no no NO NOOOOOH! If she has been felt selfish, cruel, horrible, now she felt unworthy of being born: she left out the only person that more than her had right to suffer for this tale: Ron himself!

In front of her eyes she saw the swinging of some keys. Hers. It was her father. "Wade called. We already saw the tv, he did not have to say anything. He just wanted me to fix your keys. And the start, of course." Wade, you're a really good friend. "Go to him." Kim did not allow to be repeated it: kissed her dad and mom, caught the keys and flew away.

It was time to close this bad issue.


	5. Bargain

Okinawa. It was there that Kim and Ron lived. That island in Japan that Kim had to admit it was a little corner of paradise. They chose the Rising Sun for various reasons: it was an excellent combination of tradition and innovation, the university was excellent, it was near Yamanouchi (big impoirtance factor for ninja training) and, Ron said, rich of culture: truth be told, the only culture, even if detailed, that he was able to list, was Jujitsu Juvenile saga, but he wasn't really lying, he simply ignored the rest. In reality, what they attended was a detatched location of Tokio University. It has been hard to choose wherte to go, they not only looker for a place to study together, but also that accepted their "job", for which they decided to not stay in separate dorms, on the contrary, to not stay in dorms at all, or it would have been difficult for them and even annoying for the other students. Instead here they could buy a house for them two. So it would have been a nice vacation home. In all honesty, Kim believed Ron has chosen Okinawas only because, with all the beaches they were, the chances to see her in bikini were risen (something that in the end did sometimes, part for tormenting him, part for "thanking" him in a special way…). But this was the moment of a serious talk with her boyfriend: she was set to open her heart for him, expecially now that had discovered a new part of it, but she was also determined to receive the same. And with this thought in mind, she netered home, and immediately saw the blonde nape of the love of his life, sitting on the couch seeing kamisama knows what of the many animated series transmitted. Ok, Panther Mask, this one even she knew. "KP, light of my eyes, moon of my sky, sauce of my chimurrito! How did the mission go?" Nothing looked like to anticipate bad news, but the happened facts had given her new consciousness, and she knew that he was just bottling everything up inside. To avoid making her suffer? It was the most probable hypothesis. But how is it that whenever I beelieve I can't love him more, he makes her hammer that limit down? How he manages to do it? "Ron, you know well how the mission well, I know you follow all the lives since you broke your leg." Kim sat beside him, the plastered leg was on a cylindrical footstool, of the kind with a pillow cover. "Yeeeah, buuut, it caught the signal badly, went on and of,, Radiomaria started...in the end I turned on the cartoons..." "Ron you asked the tweebs for an antenna with planetary cover, moon included, in order not to lose a program about me waiting for your return." She wasn't kidding, Kim had an appointment on the ISS as a special guest and he, if he wasn't healed by time, wanted to at least see his "star among the stars". Of course, if his leg was cured, he would have come too, she would have never left him on the ground, expecially now. "Ok, you're right, Kimmy, but tv is tv, that one is you...you, tv, hey, I came back rapping!" "Ron! I know you saw me! I know you heard me! ...and I knoe that you heard even what those reporters told!" Stoppable's smile trembled, but tried to put it back in its place immediately. Not this time, no more sugar, I need the bitter pill. Kim took the controller and shut the tv. "Ron, listen to me: I want you to know some very important things. First: I don't care at all what people say, I know the truth, I know you're a hero and we are a team, a pair of equals. Second, I love you. Ok? I love you, full stop. They're not just three words, I love you, want you, choose you as my half for the rest of my life: I'd never ask you to change, I don't want you to change, I only want to stay beside you, I want Ron Stoppable, the only one, the unimitable, for good...and for bad. Third, and this is the most important: I'm...I'm..." This was the hardest part, but because it was the most important, so she had to! A good breath and…

"...I'm sorry. About everything, I'm sorry. Of not being by your side, not having supported like you always supported me, not having understood how much you could be fragile, how words, gestures, attitudes could hurt you..." "Ooh, come on KP, It's not true you never supported me! And then, hurt me? Pfff! I'm not such a soft like Big Mike said, do you remember hi..." Kim could not stand anymore, and did not manage to not shout her frustration: "Ron, nobody goes through everything you went through without being signed in some way!" Ron needed to be serious, for his own good! The blonde was startled by the behaviour of the redhead, he could not understand why she was acting like this. Ooh, who am I kidding, I know exactly why and what she wants...but no, I can't do it, not to her! "Kim, if there is someone who hurts me, it's you: do you really believe me so weak to allow that the judgement of some stranger could impress me?" "Ok, then, you tell me! When they call you sidekick, buffoon, they forget your name, even those you kicked the day before, what do you think? What would you want? Now, then, in all these years, what have you felt?" Ron raised the eyes to the sky and took a deep breath. Ok, now he tell me… "No, Kim."...no? "Wha...what does it mean, no?" "It means no, Kim. It's simple, I can't tell you." He did not look in her eyes anymore...he did not call her KP...she has moved something. "You can't...or do not want?" Ron looked at her. But it wasn't his sweet and comprehensive, neither it was scared...no, he was definitely annoyed, like Kim was probing a spike in his side and declared it was to check where ribs were. For the first time, Kim had the impression to not have had a good idea. "...both. Choose whichever you want, it's the same." "No, Ron..." the girl's expression was firm, but with a bit of kindness. She was not accusing him of anything, after all, she only wanted to know how he was. It was her right, wasn't it? "...we are together, have to help each other, and how can we..." she raised the hand to caress his face, but he backed away and turned the look again. She was hurt by this, but did not insist. She guessed it was hard for him. "...how can we be for each other, if we don't talk?" "...even secrets are part of a couple's life." "Why? What are you scared of?" Ron bent forward, hands joined, head low, sad look. "Of the only thing I was ever really scared of: not being able to protect you." "I don't need to be protected, if you tell me the truth." "Really?" There it was again, the angry look towards her. "And what if the person from I should protect you was myself?" Ron fell against the back of the couch. "Or even worse, Kimberly, what if the culprit you're searching for were you?" That 'Kimberly' made her jump more than the accusation. She knew that with just a word she could have what she was looking for for the whole day. And she also knew that it would have been like opening Pandora's vase. All the emotions felt, the feelings, the surprises of that day, focused in a moment of lucidity: her life, their life, would have never been the same. Was this what she wanted?

"Talk."

And let...'er...fly.


	6. Acceptation

"Ok Kim: let's leave out how you preferred to stay with Bonnie , of all people, when I invented the Mad Dog mask, I'd say I already showed how much you all were wrong." One point, out. "Let's lose the Halloween story, you already had enough from your parents for that issue." Thanks, Ron… "And let's jump far from when I discovered you microchipped me without my consent! Just, let's forget that, come on!" Yeah, let's forget it: that day Kim had discovered what the henchmen they face every day feel. She guessed that when he would have discovered it, he would have gone crazy, started shouting, freak out, but in the end he would have understood her good intentions. Understanding? Yes. Freak out? Definitely not. But after having kept him out of such a secret, getting away with a black eye was an exchange Kim considered very profitable...to Wade he destroyed the computer he used to track him. When then he calmed down and they could explain everything, they substituted the chip with a newer one and she had put one into her too, in the same point. Only her mother knew where, not even them, it was her to do the , just Mrs. Possible had lost the light of the reason, considering expecailly that Stoppables were Jew...for all of this, Kim was grateful to have already faced the topic, but now she had to listen to him for all the rest.

Like predicted, many times he was irritated, feeling excluded, by how the girl considered small things his daily problems, typical of teenagers and builders of the character, while she pretended he was always listening to and helping her. Many things were indeed small things, with a clear mind, he himself admitted it: he was just going up.

""School prom, that time you had a crush for Josh: do you remember that night? You, the girl that the whole school would have wanted and that could have anyone, scared by the possibility of a rejection by a boy that in the end only had to know if you were free. Me? How many failures you saw me collect that day? Besides you and Monique, the whole female population of high school. Never a sign of simpathy for that situation from you, almost as if you considered it the normal happening of the events, yet I still helped you, gave you courage, and in the end you had your prince charming. And my lady? A broom! Yes, because for some unknown, damned reason, there was no handle inside the door you closed, so while you lived your fairy taleI found myself to learn by memory the composition of the detergent! I decided to bring down the door only late, when I believed the school was desert, and guess who I find myself in front of? Barkin, who does small hours. I let you imagine at what my explenations meant: detention, extra homework and repay the door. I put a hundred dollars more, in order to put the handle!" Kim understood how much the issue burnt: for a high schooler, the prom was a very important social event, even if she had not meant it, she had denied it to him, and even the fact of not helping himfor a girl was right. Not that he needed encouragement, but she could have directed him towards someone that like him was searching for a cavalier, after all there were those free...it was also true that she could not be his babysitter for every problem. "Ah, and the fact of considering me your equal: that's not always true!" "What?" "Eeh, yes! Think about it: for you what has Wade built? The kimmunicator, the laser lipstick, the grapple hairdryer, that multitasking ring, the hyperfast rollerblades, and the suit, oooh, yeah, so cool the suit...for me, instead, what has ever built? The minimum needed to escort you without you having to pick me up! I never even had my own kimmunicator before you received the newer version, do you know what it's called this? GIVING AWAY THE SCRAPS, THAT'S WHAT!" I have no arguments to reply to this. Goodness, Ron, I've never seen you so much angered… "What, I was so clumsy that you did not trust to put in my hands some pretty toy even to me too? Even just a swiss knife would have been enough, to know that I had your trust, not only to push a red button and run away." Is it really for this? Because we did not trust him? Honestly, I don't know it myself. "Have you any idea of how it made me feel? Constantly in doubt if I was really enough for you, if I was good enough to protect you, or helkp you..." Ron took his head in his hands for some moments, but came back immediately to the attack. "And then I thought, if I had that sensation of inadequacy, it was also your fault!" "Mine?!" Kim felt herself struck in her pride. "Yes, yours! In all that time you've done nothing except seeing me make mistakes, trip, making messes, risk hurting myself more than I can remember: you knew I was doing it only for you, but have you ever tried one day to take me and teach something to me too? Because truth is that I knew just how to cook and jump out of a plane without killing myself, but facing hordes of big men with laser sticks ready to break all your bones without a minimum of knowledge of self defence and limit to run and attract them behind to not making them all jump on you was is not distraction, it's LIVING BAIT!" I don't dare to imagine how much hard must have been for you, facing your fears that way...wait, this means that...oh, for heaven's sake, I was sending him to kill himself! What kind of monster am I? "And I even have a specific example, on how much you consider me in mission: Josh Mankey!" At this point, I can expect anything… "I'll make it quick for you: you chose to go with him on a fancy date risking to disappear forever because of Drakken's umpteenth bad deed while I was risking my life in Amazon to find a cure that risked to be completely useless because you simply decided that going out with him was more important than your OWN LIFE!" If there is a lightning that waits to hit someone full power, I volunteer, but it has to do it now! "And this thing to use two weights and two measures, is not even applied only to missions: remember when you wanted that jacket and you found a job at Bueno Nacho and you signed me too without my permission? Puppy dog pout and you were immediately 'two weeks to jacket, two weeks to jacket'!" he teased her. "When I made the same thing at the talent show, what have I received from it? Threats of physical repercussions by oriental war disciplines!" "...I admit it, it was unfair, but in both occasions we had some successes the both of us..." "What do you want, know what I keep in my heart, or washing your conscience?" Ron's tone was very clear: Kim had to shut up. And in fact she lowered the ginger head in resignment. "Now, one last thing, the last one." I knew I kicked a wasp hive, but it's only now that the queen comes out. "You knew how much I looked for a girlfriend in high school, and knew how many refused me." Ron's voice became cold, threatening… "You knew that I surely did not understand you, and frankly the thing did not change so much..." He lowered towards her as much as he could, more and more. "You knew well how much I helped you about that topic when you needed it, and you can't deny that you were definitely aware of my position in the school hierarchy..." I'm about to cry… "So I want, pretend, demand to know..." Everything but that, please, everything except that… "WHY THE HELL HAVE YOU NEVER TOLD ME TARA HAD A CRUSH ON ME?!"

The strength and emotions, expecially anger, that filled that sentence overwhelmed her like an avalanche, and the results were not so different: Kim Possible, superheroine, world savior, protector of what there was about good and right, existed no more: in her place there was a scared girl who loudly cried with the face hidden in shame in the hands, the unkempt hair falling on the sides, trembling behind the inquisitor stare of a pair of brown eyes with bluish flashes that she felt impress in her flesh, but that she could not face. And a voice that she provoked herself, and now she could neither ignore nor refrain from tormenitng her. "Watch out that, unless to have received a vision from the future that already told you we would have been together, you piloted at your will not only my life, but hers too!" It's true...it's always true...I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I beg you, try… "And don't you dare to say I should have understood it, because aside from that time at Camp IwanttomakethatdamnaccursedplacefromthefaceoftheEarth, the only sign Tara was different was that she called me with my real name, for the rest it was a miracle that she spoke to me!" And people ask me why I chose you...but how have you managed to choose me? "Remember that it's been you to have wanted this conversasion, so have the courage to bring it 'till the end!" Stop, stop, STOP! "If you want to exit from this room without answer, you can do it..." His voice was once again calm, but cold: this made her rise the head, guided but a hope that she already knew was the falsest in existence. And in fact she saw his shake his head in rage: "...but don't you dare to show yourself in front of me again." "NO RON, I BEG YOU, YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME!" "THEN YOU TELL ME WHY YOU DID THAT TO ME!" Kim has thrown herself on his shirt, but Ron has caught her wrists detatching her from him and clenched so tight that he started to hurt her. And she still did not want to answer. "I...I..." she sobbed violently. "You…?" "...I-I-I..." "...YOU?!" "I DON'T KNOOOOW!" ...a minute passed, between sighs and sobs. Ron had let her go, but was still dark in face and it was clear that he wanted her to continue. He deserved it, after all. "Before you talked about talking in order to help each other." Kim nodded with her head. "What you wanted to know from me now you know it. And you forced it out of me. Now it's your turn." It's right. "Whe...when she confessed that she liked you...all the cheerleaders immediately started rowing against: they said that she would have fallen in the social ladder..." "It was simply an abomination even to think that it could be she rising me up, eh?" Kim did not answer. "...they said that cheerleaders had to keep a certain level, and that lowering would have exposed all the others to a bad light...they used the squad as a weapon to convince her to forget you..." "I already know what they did, or at least I can imagine it. My question is, what did you do?" "I...knew that, despite being unfair, high school social rules were important, so I adviced her to wait...to think about it...and I would have had time to...to understand what to do..." "What do you mean?" "Well...you were my friend...I did not want you to be hurt by a student crush...and then..." "...and then?" "..." Kim could not say it, not like this. She watched away, but he gently took her chin with two fingers and turned her. The inquisitor stare was there once again. "Brutal, Kim. No useless sugarcoating." Now or never. "You...you don't know anything about cheerleaders, girls, what they want and what they expect, they're a world you don't belong to, you could have never made her happy!" She almost shouted it in his face. It was the truth, after all, but having said it did not make her feel good. "In other words...you chose to obey to the food chain. You excluded since before that such two different social classes could stay well together." There they were: the tears were coming back. Only for Kim, though: Ron was like a stone face. "There's more...I...was scared that staying with Tara you would have taken the distance from me. That you'd have not come with me on missions anymore, that we would have not spent time together..." "In short, that you would have lost your toy. Because this is how you treated me if you thought so." It looked like Ron was just whipped in the face. Even listening to his voice tone would have been painful, even for a stranger. "And I thought it couldn't be worse...and now you pull out a lack of faith in my regards that no matter how much I think about I just cannot understand how I could have caused" Because you never did… "Not only for having believed that the hierarchical ladder was more important, but also and above else that I would have cut you out completely from my life. Sure, I would have been hyped a bit, but never and ever I would have separated from you!" "Ron...I-I don't know what to say, I'm sorry..." "I know you're sorry, but being sorry won't delete what happened." There was no anger, or hatred, in his words: just a cold statement of the facts. Ron fixed the gaze below, an empty stare. "If I could go back..." "But you can't. We can't." Kim did not know anymore what to do, she just wanted to disappear, like she never existed. She was again returned with the head in the hands and the elbows on the knees. "I wish this history never happened...I just wish to forget everything..." "And this is what I can't let you do." Kim did not understand what he meant to say. "Because if everything was deleted with a strike of a magic wand, we would have learnt nothing, and the history would start again!" "For the first time in my life, I really don't know what to do..." "And this is one of the reasons why I did not want to talk about it to you: because I knew it would have been not only useless, but also harmful, expecially for you!" Kim was breathless, and even if she would have had it, she would have not know what to say…at that point, the whole world could explode and she would not notice it. And instead happened the only thing that she could notice.

Ron hugged her.


	7. A new dream

Ron hugged her tightly. The warmth of his body sent her everything she needed: comfort, trust, empathy, solidarity, and most important thing, forgiveness. Kim hugged him back, a bit because she was scared it was only a mirage from which she did not want to escape. She felt the hand of the boy that she's never been prouder to call her boyfriend caress her hair and wishper into her ear: "Never forget about today. Treasure all of this, like I'll always remember the tears you let go and I'll do everything in order to not make them come back." You'd go against the world, if it meant to help me. "I swear, Kim, if I have to throw myself down to the border of the Earth, this day will never show again." Kim waited a bit before answering. "Earth is not flat, Ron." "Everything is possible, when it involves the Possibles." They could not help but laugh. Finally they looked in their eyes. Damn, you're such a beautiful girl...the two lovers finally kissed, caressed, cuddled, remembered how much they loved each other and how many unexpected problems tried and failed to separate them. This one just went nearer than the others, but with the same result.

"Hey. For real cartoons are more interesting than me?" She joked playing offended. "Bof...these programs about saving the world...watched one, watched all!" He replied switching on the tv. "Oh, look what it is, a comical program!" The 'comical program' involved was an important news channel, of the ones that broadcast 24/7. And they were broadcasting the news of that morning. "Choc news today: Kim Possible reveals to have been secretly in a relationship..." *click* "Unknown the identity of the crush of the famous heroine..." *click* "...in order to hide he used many false names..." "Surely these parody tv news are more and more similar to the real ones!" Kim did not hold back a laughter of the at the joke of the mix of kindness and affection on whose shoulder she leant so comfortably. "But you tell me, since you're a girl and you understand better than me: if you were Kim Possible, what kind of boyfriend you would want?" Kim thought about it for a moment and then answered: "Well, if I were Kim Possible, I would not settle for any boy that would not be less than perfect: he should be tall, pretty, muscular, athletic, with charm and a great fashion sense…" "A-ha..." "...he should also be brave, capable of helping me in every topic I need, he should always be near me when I cry, comfort me when I'm sad, make me laugh when I'm bored…" "Good, good..." "And he should also manage to understand when I have something wrong without me saying nothing, and be playful, but also sweet, firm but also sensible..." "Uao. And maybe he should also do house chores without complaining." "It would be a good bonus, yeah. Sure..if I would be Kim Possible, life with someone like this would be a great boredom! First, perfection is tiring, second, where you find someone like this, he doesn't exist!" "That's also true. Yeah, if you were Kim Possible...by the way, what's your name?" Ron was only trying to make one last joke, but Kim started kissing his lips with the rhythm of her words. "Kimberly..." *pciù* "...Anne..." *pciù* "...Stoppable!" Ron felt his heart fall. "Kim...does this means that..." "let's see how many will have the nerve to forget our name, now!" "How I love you, Red." "Not as much as I love you, Freckles!" To hell with the broken leg, that was time of a serious display of affection.

Truth be told, Kim was planning of changing name since quite a lot: with all the new criminals and a perspective of job keeping them at bay, she wanted that at least in the private she could take the distance from mission world and coming back to be the ordinary simple girls she liked to be. Of course, they would have expected the wedding in order to do it. If it depended on the two of them, they would have gotten married the moment they both became adults, but Mr. And Mrs. Stoppable found it a bad idea, they said that they haven't the ways to carry on a married life, and in the end they convinced to wait to finish the university. This had the unexpected effect of making their son apply to the studies, to not uselessly delay the big event. For Kim it was a surprise to discover that Ron agreed with the refusal of Global Justice, and most of all that he did not care: he said that without their rules he would be freer, he just wanted to not interfere with their missions. This convinced Kim that she could join them as long as this condition was satisfied.

If someone told her that Ron Stoppable would have made her go through hell more than any other villain, she would have considered it madness. Yet, here she was. And she would have not wanted to be anyhwere else. Not after passing through it, and having come to this paradise.

If by paradise you could mean a new bad guy who planned to conquer the world without another of the usual recycled ideas, the chewing gum cannon… "Soon all cities in the world will be buried by chewing gum, and..." "And everyone will bow to you, blablabla, yeah, I know: anything else?" replied the superheroine defeating the seventh henchman without breaking a sweat. "Unrespectful girl, let's see if you like some chewing gum in your hair!" The guy (she did not even want to know what was his name) flickered with the controller and pointed the six meters cannon towards her, pushed the button...and nothing happened! Kim finished the opponents in that moment, a grin on her mouth. "Problems?" "Nonono, just a second, don't move from there..." *clickclickclickclick* ...nothing. The cannon did not cooperate. "Eeh, this happens when you use old ideas..." This was not Kim Possible's voice: the new dominator wannabe turned towards the unknown guestand saw a blonde boy wearing completely black with a blue sword in his hand putting out a chewing gum from his mout and...sticking it on his forehead? Who was this insolen… "If they did not work once..." The intruder's foot met the nose of the prized world conquerors' industry freshman, which was enough to put him to sleep. "...there is a reason!"

Once they came out of the lab that was occupied by the villain, the jounalists submerged her as usual. But this time she was ready. "Kim, how did you manage to stop the villain today?" "It's simple, it wasn't me!" "Have you stopped him like the Apocalyptic Sticker or...what do you mean it wasn't you?!" "Eh no, this time I limited to distract him and take care of his heavy workers, minor tasks." She had a serene and calm visage, and they did not understand how she could put her in such a bad light. "But hen who it wa..." "The tuna is in the box Kim! I just left him to the police." said Ron running towards her, who stamped a fast kiss on his lips. "Here's who: Ron Stoppable, my eternal partner, in job and in life: he disengaged the machine, defeated the mad guy and saved the lab and therefore the world, so if you have questions on the victory, make them to him." Kim went to the car, but Ron reached her less than a minute after. "Unbelievable KP, it's the third time you show me to the cameras, and no still no one wants to interview me, they all bolt to the offices for their article about 'Kim Possible's new partner'!" "New partner? Why haven't you told me there is a third member of the squad?" "Mah...maybe Sensei is keeping them away from me purposely, so I stay an anonymus ninja." They continued the conversation while they took seat. "What an old prankster...ah, in the and did dad give you the ok to come with me on the ISS?" "Sure! He said this way I will finally be able to see black holes up close..." "Ge'll never change..." "And he doesn't want to miss my face when I'll have to eat the Naco in pills." "I'll bring the photo camera then!"

Kim started the engine and and went home. "Tell the truth...you're happy because you miss the exam, right?" "You did say so, didn't you? Some thing don't change, KP: some things don't change!" he answered with a smile.

Always the same lazy glutton with an excess of good mood that feels the pathological need to share with the world and the vice to damn his soul to make his beloved happy: that's what was Ron Stoppable.

This is who is her Ron.


End file.
